THIS IS OUR PROTOTYPE EXTRUSION INTO YOUR GALAXY. DETAILS ARE FORTHCOMING. SOMETIMES FIFTHCOMING. OCCASIONALLY SIXTH AND SEVENTH. WHAT WE’RE SAYING IS, THERE’S A LOT TO TELL YOU. PLEASE BEAR WITH US.
Here’s our story in a nutshell:
In every Universe, someone eventually invents some kind of time-travel or place-travel festival. In your reality, it was largely your Renaissance Faires. In the reality whence Puck originates, it was the horrifying Gathering Of The Humans. SOME PEOPLE say it’s related to The Rocky Horror Picture Show; but SOME PEOPLE will say anything.
If you treat Wonderplace Alpha as if you were going to a Renaissance Faire run by space aliens, you’ll likely have a good time. We don’t mind if you act like everything here is pretend. I mean, sure, it’s perfectly real, but nobody outside of the Faire believes us, and that’s okay; if they don’t want to experience it for themselves, that’s their loss.
“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
~Douglas Adams
First and foremost, Wonderplace Alpha is a gathering place. You’ve come to see interesting things, enjoy entertainments, perhaps participate in assorted stories, tales, intrigues, or silliness. Do bring yourself, do come looking to have a good time, do try to get to know your fellow attendees before you arrive (but it’s okay if you don’t!) The more you make Wonderplace Alpha yours, the more it can make you a peculiar but welcoming weekend home.
And like most gathering spaces, it is a marketplace. Vendors from all of the Six And A Half Worlds are here to amaze and delight you with their wares.
DO: Bring some coin of the realm (what our vendors accept is up to them, but while most take credit cards, some only take cash. Likewise, we recommend saving up…you’re going to see a lot you’re going to want!)
DO: Feel encouraged to use our tribes as a jump-off point for costuming or garb.
DO: Feel free to take quite a lot of pictures. And if you choose to post them to the Interthing and let everyone else envy your excellent taste in weekend occupations, feel free.
DO: Feel like you can participate as much as you want!
DON’T: Worry that there’s a right or wrong way to do this. As long as you’re trying to be a part of it, you’re going to have a good time!
We are quite proud to offer you lovely entertainment, consisting of shows, panels, workshops, attacks by invisible megaladons, music, magic, comedy, dancing, and performers the likes of whom you may never have seen before! [Well, you’ve seen something at least somewhat similar. Do you know that most people, offered the chance to experience (for example) new music might want to (for example) listen to new styles of sound, new ways of singing, new kinds of songs? Yet, on the other hand, they don’t want to be driven mad by the pitiless purity of the sound of Ben Franklin’s glass harmonica. Moderation is important.]
DO check out our performer list beforehand. You’ll want to try to catch at least some of the shows! (Unless you hate fun. I hate fun, myself. You can find our antisocial crew and we can all hate fun together.)
DO come prepared for a marvelous festival and rumbustification!
DO support our performers. Buy lots of their merch, buy them drinks, show them love*.
There are quite a number of gatherings and hangouts for people with interests of all kinds, and we’ll gather and celebrate and party and (some of us) dance on Saturday night! Would you like to run or suggest a hangout? Use our contact page to get in touch with us.
DO explore in your own way.
You might choose to get involved in the story, game, and lore. You might also just enjoy watching it. We are interfacing with your Universe via a very, very simple version of what you might call Live Action Roleplaying, and which we call :”Zceeafj439fjcmmc24fm”, for reasons we do not plan to disclose. The aim of our LARP is much more social and worldbuilding than fighting and problemsolving; there’s not even a separate combat mechanic. Where we come from, disputes are settled simply via games of either ping-pong, or Who’s Going To Fall Into The Volcano First? So we’re a little new to this.
For food, we recommend you patronize our saloon, or our multitude of food trucks. You are also welcome to bring your own. You are not allowed to eat other attendees, even if they give you permission. Earth laws are strange.
Many of our sanitary facilities are fairly rustic. There is some indoor plumbing, but not a ton of it. There are a number of motels in the area, and if sanitation is a deciding factor for you, a cheap motel stay might enhance your comfort.
If you’d like to stay the weekend, we will have hotel, motel, and Holiday Inn information shortly.
Perhaps you’d like to join our mailing list? Drop a line, and let’s talk.
“The core of Wonderplace Alpha, or any large liminal event space, is to spend as much time as possible buying beer for Trickster Gods.”
-Loki, Anansi, and Puck
* We are generally speaking of agape more than eros, but free adults ought to do what they want when alone, here as everywhere else.